This paper builds the inequality-growth-redistribution nexus, and applies the Engle-Granger two-step ECM approach to estimate the long-run and shortrun relationships between inequality and growth for four economies, China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Our estimation results support the S-shaped curve hypothesis relating GDP per capita to inequality with different starting points for the four economies. For the reverse relationship, we find a positive causal relationship for China, Japan, and the United States, indicating that increased income inequality benefits the economy. In addition, we find mixed results on the effect of trade openness on inequality and growth. Trade openness reduced inequality in the United Stats and Japan, worsened it in China and had no significant effect in South Korea. In the inequality-GDP per capita relationship, exports provided an impetus to economic growth for Japan. (The rest omitted)